Brussels gives Warsaw some wiggle-room

The European Commission on Monday appeared to step back, at least temporarily, from a threat to escalate its investigation of the Polish government’s commitment to democratic values, giving Warsaw more time to address the EU’s concerns and seeking to tone down the heated rhetoric of recent days.

A decision last week by the Commission to set a Monday deadline for Warsaw to make “significant progress” in defusing a standoff over the country’s top constitutional court — and threatening to send a hard-hitting assessment on the government’s actions — provoked a harsh reaction from Polish politicians.

The country’s prime minister, Beata Szydło, told MPs, “It’s not Poland which has a problem with the EC, it’s the EC which has the problem.”

But by Monday Brussels was softening its tone, and downplaying the threat to issue a critical opinion, saying that talks had been held over the weekend — and were continuing — aimed at avoiding a showdown.

“The Commission is still talking constructively with the Polish authorities and we hope to find solutions,” said Margaritis Schinas, the spokesman for the EU’s executive body, which in January launched an unprecedented rule of law inquiry into the Polish government.

An EU official insisted the Commission had never set Monday as a hard deadline, even though its official statement insisted that Warsaw show movement on the issue by that day.

Polish media reported Monday afternoon that Frans Timmermans, the Commission first vice president and who is leading the rule of law probe, would travel to Warsaw on Tuesday for more talks. But Timmermans’ office declined to comment on that possibility.

Witold Waszczykowski, Poland’s foreign minister, told reporters in Brussels Monday that Szydło and Timmermans had held talks by phone last week and seemed to be making progress toward a compromise.

“But then, the compromise was thrown out for reasons we don’t understand,” Waszczykowski said.

On Monday, Péter Szijjártó, the Hungarian foreign affairs minister, called on the EU to show “respect” towards Poland.

“The Poles made their decision. The party in power didn’t hide its program, the Poles knew what they were voting for,” he told reporters at a press conference after a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers.

Related stories on these topics:

Veritas-Semper

Looks like in the game of power shuffle – the EuroCommissars blinked… But their actions seem to be bi-polar. So, let’s see what they come up with on Wednesday.

In any event, Poland is not moving off its timeline to fix the Tribunal Court issue in Poland’s Parliament, where it needs to be fixed.

And, in the meantime… support for the Law and Justice Party is growing, and that for the Neo-Targowica- “total (dysfunctional) opposition” is waning…

Posted on 5/23/16 | 11:05 PM CET

VT

@ Veritas

Yup, just like in the jingle, they can’t make up their mind on Brexit: “should I stay or should I go?”…

It must be nerve wrecking for the EuroCommissars. All that responsibility for breaking up the EU as they know it…

No surprise then that we are seeing a truly classical case of bi-polar disorder.

Merkel, send more meds, please…

Posted on 5/24/16 | 1:19 AM CET

black_ghoul

Only one survey shows a decline in support for the opposition. Another survey (three days ago) does not support this claim…
Besides: “in the meantime” opposition is going to organize soon next huge march against violation of constitution law in Poland. The previous one gathered few dozen thousands of supporters – more than Law and Justice had ever managed to mobilize. The government is trying frantically conceal and weaken signs of criticism of citizens towards politics of Law and Justice – government officials and soldiers have been forced to come to work in the day in which demonstration is to be held (normally it is non-working day). This fact does not support the thesis of weakening support for the opposition…

Posted on 5/24/16 | 1:51 AM CET

VT

@ black_ghoul

Keep dreaming, guy. Yes, expect a lot of rising support in the polls with ZERO constructive ideas, right.

But, you forgot to include the adjective “dysfunctional” as far as the opposition is concerned. Kinda matching the bi-polar phenomenon of the EuroCommissars…

And, BTW for all the talk about the “deficit of rights and laws in Poland”, you and your opposition seem to be assembling a lot. But, I guess that is just another bi-polar view of the universe…

Let us know when you get to a real million supporters in the street… maybe you can find the “missing 200k” from the last crusade/march…

Posted on 5/24/16 | 2:33 AM CET

Sieuwke

If Poland wants to be an undemocratic country by European standards, fine, but why stay in the European Union? Have a referendum in or out, democratic or Pis. Stop playing the victim role: ‘Poor us, we are being told off by European Union.’ Lots of countries have been told off by the European Union. Grow a spine! If you do not like the club, get out!

Posted on 5/24/16 | 9:33 AM CET

VT

@ Siewuke

Hey comrade, you must be Simon’s “cellmate”. You guys are doing a fantastic job communicating with the Civilized West out of your “undemocratic cell”. It’s a good thing your guards can be still bribed. Yup, it’s a good thing that the 8 years of corruption under the Civic Platform is now paying off for you guys… Keep writing to let us know if you can see the million KOD marchers in the street. You guys have a lot of time now, so make sure that you get a good count to make it a real million…

And, let us know if you can spot Timmermans in the crowd, he is stopping by today to show his bi-polar support…

Posted on 5/24/16 | 12:00 PM CET

Marcel

@Sieuwke

The EU itself is undemocratic.

And many people want their countries out of the Eurosoviet Union. But the mainstream politicians (angling for an unelected tax-exempt Brussels job) won’t let us.

Good Job EU keep up the pressure in Poland making sustainable social liberal democratic European values

Posted on 5/24/16 | 3:48 PM CET

Veritas-Semper

Well, Herr Timmerans arrived in Warsaw, met with the Prime Minister and announced that the Tribunal Court dispute must be resolved in Poland.

Hmm, isn’t this what Poland’s government was saying all along? Or, is this simply another example of bi-polar behavior of the EuroCommissars?

Now, what will the Neo-Targowica do without the reinforcements from Brussels?

Perhaps, they will finally go to work as a real (loyal) opposition ought to behave?

But most important, what back-up negative news can Politico dig up now against Poland… so far it’s eerily quiet out there…

Posted on 5/24/16 | 6:32 PM CET

Veritas-Semper

Hey Maïa , are we having a “writer’s block”, are we? Cienski has no ideas how to “spin” the latest bi-polar event by the EuroCommissars in Warsaw? Where is your “professionalism”, girl? You gotta come up with something to help the dysfunctional opposition in Poland. The poor schlappers are falling apart, my dear.

I confess that the deathly silence on Politico is just unbearable (not!)…